AIR: Ocidental 1/48th T-6 Texan review
José Herculano
The bird is just out, and this review is a first look, first feel on it. For
starters, let me pose and answer two questions:
a) Is this the best T-6 in 1/48? Yes
b) Is it Tamiya / Accurate / Hasegawa quality? No
Box is nice, bigger then needed, although the Portuguese T-6 art is not
inspiring. Opening it up, you're faced with 2 trees of a medium-to-light
green plastic (will accept silver OK), plus two fine sets of separate canopy
parts, one clear, one slightly smoked (black).
Detail is engraved, some engraved rivets and some slightly raised access
panels. Fairly accurate, though not perfect, and a bit on the heavy side.
Rivets are slightly overscale, but then they only give us the big ones. The
multitude of rivets on the real bird are either not shown, or shown as
engraved panel lines. Will look OK, if, again, a bit heavy.
Parts fit is not to current first league standards, and small amounts of
filler will be needed by the major joints. Cockpit detail is fair, but not
1st class. The smaller parts, like seats, sticks, tailwheel, are not finely
molded, being a bit tickish. Throttles and others are basically non
existent, or grossly represented. The rudder and flaps are separated pieces,
but the flaps down will imply some rework of the center mid fuselage.
Instrument panels were "laser engraved", and indeed have incredible small
detail. In my opinion, too small for effective dry-brushing, but you tell
me. I'd rather have an etch and acetate panel, so Eduard please help. Decals
should vary by country of sale. All will have a nice silver PAF bird with
running dog insignia, and then a country-related scheme. Mine had a French
"Tomcat", Algeria time. Decals are Carpena, and quite acceptable.
Having this bird side by side with the Monogram makes you clearly go out for
this one. Opportunities galore exist for schemes, aftermarket detail sets,
and conversions. I will do an SNJ-3C out of it. Stores are machine guns and
rocket pods.
As a final comment, the clear parts are very good indeed, but the T-6 had
such thin "glass" that open canopy configurations will look a bit gross,
though much better than the Monogram's. Perfect solution should be to use
the Falcon vac canopy, if it fits, which I confess I have not tried as yet.
For a first plane, this one is a winner, and Ocidental will surely evolve
(finer molds, higher injection pressures). Ocidental will launch next a Spit
Mk IX (makes no sense to me, but OK). Hope they'll get around doing a T-37
sometime, which, with enough pushing, I am sure they will.
In the UK, Hannants will have it for sale, and in the US, I think Squadron
will carry it.
José Herculano
_____________________________
http://www.almansur.com/aviation/
Dawn
> and manufactured AND arguably impoertant variant, and considering a
> decent one isn't available in this scale, it's absolutely astonishing
> that it's taken this long for someone to finally do one!!! Cheers, Roy
José Herculano
> The Spit IX makes no sense??! Considering it's the most attractive,
> and manufactured AND arguably impoertant variant, and considering a
> decent one isn't available in this scale, it's absolutely astonishing
> that it's taken this long for someone to finally do one!!! Cheers, Roy
My point is that there are conversion sets to grab an Hasegawa Spit and make
a Mk IX. Furthermore, some biggie will launch such a Spit now or latter.
What's the sense of doing a Spit IX for a company like Ocidental? It would
make far more business sense to do a T-37.
Tallon
> My point is that there are conversion sets to grab an Hasegawa Spit and
make
> a Mk IX. Furthermore, some biggie will launch such a Spit now or latter.
> What's the sense of doing a Spit IX for a company like Ocidental? It
would
> make far more business sense to do a T-37.
I think you may want to wait anyhow - An unconfirmed (yet reliable) little
birdy tells me Hasegawa are tooling up for a Mk IX to follow their new
Hurricane...
Tallon
Dawn
Andy or Bob
Thanks for the review, Jose! I've just got a couple minor observations / questions:
JosÈ Herculano wrote:
> Cockpit detail is fair, but not
> 1st class. The smaller parts, like seats, sticks, tailwheel, are not finely
> molded, being a bit tickish. Throttles and others are basically non
> existent, or grossly represented.
> Having this bird side by side with the Monogram makes you clearly go out for
> this one.
Why? Personally, I think the Monogram T-6 captures the real thing pretty well, and
its real strength is the interior. So, I'm interested to hear specifically how it
seems better.
> Ocidental will launch next a Spit Mk IX (makes no sense to me, but OK).
There's a very good reason- despite the fact that the Spit IX is second only to the
Mk.V in numbers and arguably significance (not looking for an argument with any
fellow Spit fanatics) and is a terrifically popular aircraft, there has not yet been
a truly good kit of it in 1/48. Otaki came closest, but blew it on the underwing
center-section. Tamiya / Hasegawa let us down after a promising start with the
earlier Marks (are you guys listening?). So, if Occidental does a good job, they
stand to fill a large gap and make a lot of people very happy (and thereby sell a
whole bunch of kits!)
Bob
Jonathan Mock
> Thanks for the review, Jose! I've just got a couple minor observations /
questions:
>
> JosČ Herculano wrote:
>
> > Cockpit detail is fair, but not
> > 1st class. The smaller parts, like seats, sticks, tailwheel, are not finely
> > molded, being a bit tickish. Throttles and others are basically non
> > existent, or grossly represented.
>
> > Having this bird side by side with the Monogram makes you clearly go out for
> > this one.
>
> Why? Personally, I think the Monogram T-6 captures the real thing pretty
well, and
> its real strength is the interior. So, I'm interested to hear
specifically how it
> seems better.
Monogram T-6's are as rare as hens teeth! UNless RM have recently reissued
it, in whcih case more humble pie please...
;-)
--
Jonathan Mock
łIąve got idols and icons, unspoken holy vows,
Thoughts to keep well hidden -
sacred and forbidden,
Free to browse among the holy cows."
José Herculano
>Why? Personally, I think the Monogram T-6 captures the real thing pretty
well, and
>its real strength is the interior. So, I'm interested to hear specifically
how it
>seems better.
I also have the Monogram, and like it. The Monogram's interior is better in
a way, but overall shape and external detail of the Ocidental is somewhat
better. Clear parts are far better in the Ocidental.
>There's a very good reason- despite the fact that the Spit IX is second
only to the
>Mk.V in numbers and arguably significance (not looking for an argument with
any
>fellow Spit fanatics) and is a terrifically popular aircraft, there has not
yet been
>a truly good kit of it in 1/48. Otaki came closest, but blew it on the
underwing
>center-section. Tamiya / Hasegawa let us down after a promising start with
the
>earlier Marks (are you guys listening?). So, if Occidental does a good
job, they
>stand to fill a large gap and make a lot of people very happy (and thereby
sell a
>whole bunch of kits!)
Nope. First of all, the real crazy guys already have resin conversions for
Mk IX. Ocidental has no distribuition system in place to exploit a model
like the Mk IX, and if one of the biggies (Hasegawa / Tamiya) uses one of
their Spits and hack a Mk IX Ocidental is dead in the water. Classical case
of new company underestimating the competition.
Simon Craven
=?iso-8859-1?q?Jos=E9_Herculano?= <herc...@mail.telepac.pt> said:
>nd if one of the biggies (Hasegawa / Tamiya) uses one of
>their Spits and hack a Mk IX Ocidental is dead in the water. Classical case
>of new company underestimating the competition.
Not necessarily. That didn't stop a new, small company (Accurate
Miniatures) blowing a bigger, better established firm out of the water
with the Avenger, even though the Hasegawa one beat the AM one to
market!
I look forward to getting my Occidental T-6 and building it along my
Monogram one (yes, they are _incredibly_ hard to find over here, but I
have one lonely example).
--
Simon Craven Delete NOSPAM from mail address to reply
ModelerAl
In article <69r7hl$n...@brown.telepac.pt>, "José Herculano"
<herc...@mail.telepac.pt> writes:
>It would make far more business sense to do a T-37.
I agree, just like it would make sense for Hobbycraft, Academy, or
Modelcraft to make a 1/48 F-5/T-38 series. Last time I checked, Canada use a
*lot* of F-5's...
Grumpily,
Al Superczynski
IPMS/USA #3795, continuous since 1968
Check out my want and disposal lists at"Al's Place":
http://users.aol.com/modeleral
"Build what YOU like, the way YOU want to,
and the critics will flame you every time."
Tallon
Simon Craven <si...@lexicatNOSPAM.com> wrote in article
<TLCxtKA5...@lexicat.com>...
> =?iso-8859-1?q?Jos=E9_Herculano?= <herc...@mail.telepac.pt> said:
> >nd if one of the biggies (Hasegawa / Tamiya) uses one of
> >their Spits and hack a Mk IX Ocidental is dead in the water. Classical
case
> >of new company underestimating the competition.
>
> Not necessarily. That didn't stop a new, small company (Accurate
> Miniatures) blowing a bigger, better established firm out of the water
> with the Avenger, even though the Hasegawa one beat the AM one to
> market!
>
Don't you mean Dauntless? Hasegawa's only Avenger is 1/72 and can not be
compared to AM's 1/48 rendition.
Tallon
Andy or Bob
> >It would make far more business sense to do a T-37.
>
> I agree, just like it would make sense for Hobbycraft, Academy, or
> Modelcraft to make a 1/48 F-5/T-38 series. Last time I checked, Canada
>
>
> Grumpily,
>
>
> Al Superczynski
Aw, cheer up Al! With all the great stuff we *have* been getting, there's
got to be something to look forward to! And I doubt they used them grumpily,
else they'd have replaced them by now...
Dawn
William H. Shuey
Simon Craven wrote:
>
> =?iso-8859-1?q?Jos=E9_Herculano?= <herc...@mail.telepac.pt> said:
> >nd if one of the biggies (Hasegawa / Tamiya) uses one of
> >their Spits and hack a Mk IX Ocidental is dead in the water. Classical case
> >of new company underestimating the competition.
>
> Not necessarily. That didn't stop a new, small company (Accurate
> Miniatures) blowing a bigger, better established firm out of the water
> with the Avenger, even though the Hasegawa one beat the AM one to
> market!
> Simon Craven
Simon:
I"m not sure I completely see your comparison. The Hasegawa
Avenger was 1/72 while AM's was 1/48. Really different markets.
Since there seems to be a pretty strong belief that Hasegawa is
about to release a 1/48 Spitfire 9, Ocidental may have a problem unless
their kit is very good and competitively priced.
Bill Shuey
IPMS(USA) 10292
DonSS3
mode...@aol.com (ModelerAl) sent:
>In article <69r7hl$n...@brown.telepac.pt>, "José Herculano"
><herc...@mail.telepac.pt> writes:
>>It would make far more business sense to do a T-37.
> I agree, just like it would make sense for Hobbycraft, Academy, or
>Modelcraft to make a 1/48 F-5/T-38 series. Last time I checked, Canada use a
>*lot* of F-5's...
>Grumpily,
Actually I think that should probably be "USED" a lot of F-5s. IIRC a lot of
the ex-CAF aircraft went to Venezuela. But you are right, some decent F-5A/Bs
and T-38s are really needed in 1/48th scale. After all 1/72nd builders have
ESCI's excellent F-5A/B series. All we have is/are the old Fujimi/Academy kits.
8-P
Don
According to Hemingway:
"There are only three true sports; Auto Racing, Bullfighting and Mountain
climbing. All the rest are children's games at which men play."
Simon Craven
Simon Craven <si...@lexicatNOSPAM.com> said:
>
>Not necessarily. That didn't stop a new, small company (Accurate
>Miniatures) blowing a bigger, better established firm out of the water
>with the Avenger, even though the Hasegawa one beat the AM one to
>market!
Yes, I _did_ mean "Dauntless", "not Avenger"
Dawn or Roy
William H. Shuey wrote:
>
> Simon Craven wrote:
> >
> > =?iso-8859-1?q?Jos=E9_Herculano?= <herc...@mail.telepac.pt> said:
> > >nd if one of the biggies (Hasegawa / Tamiya) uses one of
> > >their Spits and hack a Mk IX Ocidental is dead in the water. Classical case
> > >of new company underestimating the competition.
> >
> > Miniatures) blowing a bigger, better established firm out of the water
> > with the Avenger, even though the Hasegawa one beat the AM one to
> > market!
>
>
> Simon:
>
> I"m not sure I completely see your comparison. The Hasegawa
> Avenger was 1/72 while AM's was 1/48. Really different markets.
> Since there seems to be a pretty strong belief that Hasegawa is
> about to release a 1/48 Spitfire 9, Ocidental may have a problem unless
> their kit is very good and competitively priced.
>
> Bill Shuey
> IPMS(USA) 10292
> shelf with the Tamiya Swordfish. Does anybody have anything more
> solid than cottage cheese about the Spit IX from Hasegawa? Cheers, Roy
José Herculano
>>Not necessarily. That didn't stop a new, small company (Accurate
>>Miniatures) blowing a bigger, better established firm out of the water
>>with the Avenger, even though the Hasegawa one beat the AM one to
>>market!
>
>
As nice as they are, Ocidental models are still pretty far from Accurate
levels.
José Herculano
>I look forward to getting my Occidental T-6 and building it along my
>Monogram one (yes, they are _incredibly_ hard to find over here, but I
>have one lonely example).
Same here. Got 2 Ocidentals and 1 Monogram.